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Clogged Sink? A Simple Trick Solves the Problem

Clogged sink
Photo: myHOMEBOOK

December 24, 2024, 3:03 pm | Read time: 2 minutes

If the water in the sink no longer drains, you don’t always have to call a plumber straight away. In most cases, you can fix the problem yourself. You don’t even need a plunger. The myHOMEBOOK video shows you how to do it.

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Hair, dirt, and soap residue collect in the sink drain over time. This can lead to the sink becoming blocked. However, you don’t necessarily need a rubber suction cup – also known as a plunger – to clear the blockage. A simple PET bottle also helps.

Blocked Drain – Trick with Plastic Bottle Helps

A normal PET bottle is supposed to help clear the blockage in the sink. To test the trick, we first blocked a sink so that no more water could flow out. All you supposedly need now is an empty plastic bottle. As it turned out in the experiment, this should not be too small and thin-walled. With one-liter bottles made of thicker material, it finally worked. And this is how it works:

  1. Seal the overflow hole under the tap (e.g., with wet toilet paper).
  2. Fill the bottle halfway with water.
  3. Insert the neck of the bottle into the drain so that it seals all the way around.
  4. Now squeeze the bottle and pump several times vigorously.
  5. The pressure should loosen the blockage and allow the pipe to pass through again.

This trick can be a lifesaver when the sink is blocked and you don’t have a plunger to hand. If it doesn’t work, the only option is often to unscrew the trap and clean it.

More on the topic

How Can You Prevent a Blockage?

Of course, it’s best to prevent a blocked sink in the first place. It is often enough to run the basin full of hot water once a month and then pull the plug. This flushes deposits and dirt out of the pipe.

However, chemical pipe cleaners – especially in granular form – should be avoided as they pollute the environment. There are also some household remedies that are just as effective at unblocking a blocked drain.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@petbook.de.

Topics Cleaning Home remedies Video
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